+ MINDFULNESS AND STUDIO ETIQUETTE

Please take your shoes off and leave them in the shoe area when entering a studio. Check in at the desk before going into the class even if you signed up online.

We understand some days traffic is bad and every obstacle is on your way to get to class, however in order to minimize disruption to class no one will be admitted 10 minutes after the start of class. For safety reasons, no one wants a weight dropped on their head, we cannot admit anyone into yoga sculpt once the teacher is in the room.

We encourage students to disconnect from electronics during class but if you need to take your phone into the studio due to your profession or emergency situation you MUST tell the teacher and the phone MUST be silenced.

Make room for others. Everyone should feel welcome. Follow the set up of the room and make space for everyone.

Props are your friend. Grab the props you need at the beginning of class and keep them placed neatly near your mat and out of the way of others. Props that you use often should be placed strategically where you can access them. It’s your practice, so own it. Use your props to support where your body is today. Don’t be too cool for props. It’s a sign of an advanced practitioner to use props when needed.

Be mindful of practicing “watchasana.” Sometimes we see people doing really beautiful things in yoga class. You might catch a glimpse, but remember that your practice and experience are for you. Try to stay rooted in your own space and practice. If you are taking a class for the first time place your mat in the middle of the room so you can easily catch a glimpse of what is going on without tweaking to look ahead or behind.

Always think about your Drishti, or gazing point. Where we look affects our balance, affects our alignment, and can transform the pose. There’s no need to follow the teacher with your eyes. It’s natural to want to watch the person who’s speaking to you, but unlike other types of movement classes, unless a teacher specifically asks you to watch a demonstration, you don’t need to watch him/her. They’re not usually doing anything worth watching. In yoga classes, teachers are usually walking around, assisting students verbally and manually. Lifting your head in down-dog to look at a teacher when he/she’s not really doing much more than adjusting the stereo volume or getting a student to straighten his elbows will just take you out of alignment.

Please, no perfumes or colognes. The breath in yoga is deep and heavy and you will be within close proximity of others.

Careful not to drink too much water. Most of us hydrate enough ahead of time to sustain us through a sweaty full-length class. If your throat is dry or your mouth feels gummy, take a small sip, but you don’t want a gut full of water while you’re twisting, forward bending, inverting, etc. Definitely hydrate as much as you need to after class.

Try not to eat a full meal before class. Give yourself time to digest. Everyone’s different, but 2 hours for a light-to-medium meal is good. 3+ hours for really heavy meals. If you have low blood sugar and need a little snack beforehand, have a handful of nuts or a little fruit.

Respect the Teacher - This comes in many forms. The easiest one is following the poses or a modified version of them. Do not do your own series in the middle of a guided class if you are bored or uninterested in the current pose. Finish the class and choose another teacher but during the class, respect the teacher enough to follow instructions and do so with an open mind.

Ahhhh Savasana - The best part of the class. We encourage everyone to stay for the duration of Savasana. If you absolutely must leave, please advise the teacher and slip out quietly before the beginning of Savasana.

Clean up your immediate area - If you borrowed a mat from the studio, wipe it down. If you created a puddle of sweat, wipe it with your towel. If you used props, put them back neatly, unbuckle straps and wipe off the block. Please hand towels and yogi-toes in the laundry bin. Pick up all of your items and discard any trash and place any recyclables in the appropriate bins.

Minimize conversation and noise in the studio - We LOVE our community! Meeting up with friends and family and catching up before class is to be expected and welcome in the reception area. When you enter the studio try to be quiet and focus inward as you arrive and set-up. The few minutes before class are ideal for a short meditation and for setting an intention so refraining from chit-chat is not just good etiquette but also really beneficial for your state of mind.